Coriander pesto is a variation of the traditional Italian dish made with coriander leaves, pine nuts, garlic, olive oil, and Parmesan cheese. Cilantro pesto is a non-traditional variation that pairs well with spicier foods. The oil in pesto acts as a preservative and can be spread over food as it cooks or heated in a pan before serving.
Coriander pesto is an oily spread usually made from chopped coriander leaves, pine nuts, garlic, olive oil, and Parmesan cheese. Pesto is a traditionally Italian dish and as such is commonly served on pasta, pizza and bruschetta toast. Cilantro pesto is a non-traditional variation that pairs equally well with spicier foods, especially those from Mexican and Asian cuisines.
The word pesto is Italian for “pounded,” largely due to the method in which pesto is – or at least traditionally has been made -. Most food critics recognize original pesto as the combination of basil leaves, garlic, pine nuts, oil and cheese. Almost any variation on these basic ingredients can still be called a pesto. A coriander pesto is simply a coriander pesto that replaces basil or is added to basil.
There is no recipe for cilantro pesto. The cheese and oil are generally essential to holding the pesto together, but other nuts, such as walnuts, can substitute for traditional pine nuts. Ingredients such as sun-dried tomatoes or black olives can also be added for a more unique and flavorful pesto.
Coriander is the leaves of the coriander plant. Coriander seeds have a distinctive, almost spicy flavor that emerges from the leaves. Coriander and cilantro are most commonly used in Latin American and South Asian cuisines, although the plant is native to the Mediterranean coasts of Europe. Creating a cilantro pesto is both a regionally appropriate twist on an Italian favorite and a means of transforming something familiar into something new.
Most herb pesto, including cilantro pesto, can be eaten raw. Once blended, herb pesto is usually ready to spread and enjoy. It is a particularly versatile dish, however, as it can usually also be cooked or reheated as recipes and tastes call for.
Cooking with cilantro, just like cooking with herbs of any variety, is relatively simple. A little heat often helps the herbs release their flavors. It’s usually never a good idea to set herbs out directly to listen or open flames, as they can catch fire or become brittle, but slow, steady heat can produce a wonderful intensity of flavors not always found in raw herbs.
In a pesto, the oil acts as a preservative. The herb releases its aromatics into the oil, which then leaches into meat, pasta or other dishes when heated. Some cooks spread pesto over food as it cooks to seal in the flavors. Others will heat the pesto on its own in a pan, then add the heated mixture to a plate just before serving.
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